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This totally delectable roasted green beans recipe is a fresh, modern take on your everyday green beans! This recipe could not be easier to bake on a sheet pan, giving you perfectly brown and tender beans with crisp edges, tangled with caramelized shallots.

Roasted green beans with shallots on an oval platter, with two serving spoons and a linen towel.

Name your favorite vegetable recipes. I’ll tell you one of mine — these roasted green beans with slivers of caramelized shallots are tender and oven-crisp and tasty as all get-out.

I think of this recipe as a welcome alternative to the traditional grandma-style green bean casserole when it comes to vegetable side dishes (which can be a bit indulgent, let’s be real). That means a lighter, fresher and more modern way to enjoy green beans!

I’ve been skeptical about roasting green beans because it’s so easy to steam or boil and enjoy green beans smothered in brown butter.

But my mind is changed forever after tasting how freaking good fresh green beans are when they’re roasted in the oven.

Ingredients you need:

If you’ve been assigned green-bean duty for a Thanksgiving holiday dinner or to bring a side dish to a potluck, you’ll be happy that this recipe has a very short list of ingredients and hardly any prep required.

Photo showing a gray colander with trimmed fresh green beans, with a towel, dish of salt, pepper grinder, shallot and glass of olive oil on the side.

Fresh green beans: This dish is ALL about the green beans, so look for perky-looking fresh beans that don’t look old, dry or limp.
Shallot: This allium adds an elevated touch to just about anything roasted in the oven — the natural sugars in shallots crisp up and caramelize beautifully. Red onion will work if you don’t have a shallot on hand.
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper: I use coarse kosher salt and black peppercorns from a pepper mill.
Lemon zest: From a fresh lemon.

Chef trick for the best roasted green beans: Roasting vegetables on the bottom rack of the oven is a game-changer. Here’s what I found during my testing for this recipe —it’s a trick that I learned from a well-known chef’s cookbook. It seems almost too easy, but it works!

Roasted green beans, step-by-step

For the best results, use a large (half-sheet) pan and place it on the lowest rack in a hot oven. The green beans will turn out with gorgeous color and concentrated flavor.
The heat near the bottom of the oven is more even and direct, so you get perfect caramelizing on your green beans without overcooking, in a shorter amount of time.

1. Dry the beans with a towel
2. Arrange on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and thin-sliced shallots.

3. Toss together on the sheet pan
4. Roast 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees, until the beans are tender and the are shallots crisp and sweet.

Variations

These green beans taste delicious just as they are, but feel free to get creative! Roasted green beans are versatile so season them as you like. Try:

Parmesan, goat or crumbled feta cheese
Red chili flakes
Lemon aioli or lemon mayonnaise
Sliced toasted almonds (hello green beans almondine!)
Lightly chopped fresh tender herbs such as parsley, tarragon or chives

Make ahead and storage tips:

1-2 days ahead: Trim the beans, rinse them under cold water and pat dry. Put them in a ziptop bag and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Leftover roasted green beans: The green beans tend to soften and wilt as they sit, but still taste delicious! Reheat them briefly in a microwave or give them a quick toss in a hot saute pan on the stovetop.